Fall camp is nearly done, and with it goes the annual wave of offseason hope. For Nebraska, the preseason picture wasn’t exactly flattering: the initial coaches Top 25 featured eight Big Ten teams, and the Huskers were nowhere to be found. They also drew no votes in the preseason AP poll.
That kind of omission lands because it fits the larger Nebraska story. The Huskers keep running into the same problem once the games start for real, especially in November, where Matt Rhule’s record has been rough. The roster may look better on paper than it has in recent seasons, but Nebraska has still found ways to lose games to teams it probably shouldn’t have - 2023 Maryland, 2024 UCLA, 2025 Minnesota among them - because the edge in the big moments hasn’t been there.
Rhule has said this is his best team yet, and there’s at least a case for that. But camp has offered only a few firm answers.
The Blackshirts are set to use 4-2-5 personnel, and the offense will lean on some form of spread attack with a quarterback run game. Beyond that, Nebraska has kept things close to the vest.
There’s optimism around new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, with the belief that he can eventually get Nebraska back among the elite defenses in the sport. The approach is being framed as simple, fast, and plenty violent. But “eventually” matters here, because this group may need time.
The back end still raises questions. Dwayne McDougle is viewed as a solid piece, but the safety pairing with Jamir Conn - or maybe Caleb Benning - is still something to sort out.
Jeremiah Charles had a rough showing last time he was on the field, when Ethan Garbers and a UCLA team that didn’t reach a bowl picked on him. Victor Evans also has to translate from Conference USA, where he was covering Middle Tennessee State slot backs, to the Big Ten’s deeper and more dangerous receiver groups.
At linebacker, Owen Chambliss is drawing plenty of buzz, though there’s still concern about whether he’s fully back from his toe injury. Dexter Foster brings physicality, but there are also run-fit questions after what was seen on film in Corvallis.
Vincent Shavers remains a player people want to see turn promise into production. Jahsear Whittington is another name with upside, and Nebraska may need him to help form a smaller, quicker run-stopping group.
Even so, the defensive line looks like a year away, with Tyson Terry, Dylan Berymon and others still developing.
Up front on offense, the mood is much brighter. Geep Wade’s arrival is a major reason for that.
Nebraska finally has a coach who fits the standard that comes with the program’s offensive line tradition, and the Huskers also added three big transfer pieces. Elijah Pritchett has improved, though his best football still appears to be ahead of him, and right tackle remains unsettled.
The interior, though, should be the strength of the group again.
The quarterback situation is harder to pin down. Anthony Colandrea brings mobility and a live arm, but he also has a history of playing fast and loose with the football.
He’s not Jeff Sims, and he does raise Nebraska’s ceiling. Still, there’s risk baked into his style.
He could just as easily cost Nebraska a game it should win as he could help steal one it has no business taking.
And at quarterback, health is always part of the conversation. More than one signal caller is likely to take meaningful snaps this season, whether because of injury or performance.
Oddsmakers set Nebraska’s win total at 6½, and the range of outcomes looks wide. The floor is 4-8, while the ceiling reaches 10-2 if everything comes together.
Still, the most likely landing spot feels like 6-6. A sweep of the nonconference slate seems possible, and splitting Michigan State and Maryland would fit the forecast here.
Maryland’s talent is still real, though the loss of Zahir Mathis hurts it. Pat Fitzgerald’s team may not be at its peak, but his last year as a head coach ended 1-11, and that lone win came against Nebraska.
Rutgers has never beaten Nebraska, and that doesn’t look like the year it changes. That leaves one win to be found among Illinois, Washington and Iowa, with Colandrea needing to make major plays with both his legs and his arm.
There are plenty of people who see 8-4 or 9-3. That optimism is noted.
But the larger point is simpler: Nebraska is still living in the space between August possibility and November disappointment. Rhule will be back next year, the program will keep building, and the Huskers will have another year of development behind them along with the best freshman quarterback in the country and a group of blue-chip players around him.
Maybe this is the season Nebraska finally turns promise into production. Maybe Colandrea pops, Aurich accelerates the defense, and the Huskers become the team people keep projecting. That’s the appeal of August - everything still feels possible.
But Nebraska has spent too many falls turning that hope into resignation to expect anyone to hand over the benefit of the doubt. This team is going to have to earn it.
In Other News...
Nebraska Has An Unexpected Position Problem On Offense
The tight end room has emerged as one of the quieter concerns around Nebraska heading into the 2026 season, and it is not hard to see why the coaching staff has been pressing the issue. Former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield was not pleased with what he saw in practice, and Dana Holgorsen has already taken aim at the groups summer work, especially when the Huskers have tried to involve the position in the passing game.
For Nebraska, the challenge is less about whether there is talent on the roster and more about whether that talent can turn into dependable production. Luke Lindenmeyer and Carter Nelson are the obvious names to watch as the staff looks for more consistency, while true freshman Luke Sorensen adds another intriguing option to the mix. The upside is there, but this is one of those spots where the Huskers need answers before the offense can feel complete. [Read more 🡒]
Adrian Martinez Just Made His 49ers Roster Fight Even Tougher
Adrian Martinezs bid to stick with the San Francisco 49ers has hit a rough patch in the preseason, and the former Nebraska quarterback is now facing a tougher climb on the roster bubble. Through his first two exhibition games, Martinez has had trouble with accuracy and ball security, completing 24 of 47 passes while throwing two interceptions, a line that has left him behind other quarterbacks on the depth chart.
Martinez still has a path, but it is not the cleanest one. His chances could improve if injuries continue to thin the quarterback room, which would keep the door open a little longer for him to make a case in the weeks ahead. For now, though, he has work to do if he wants to turn a difficult start into a real argument for a roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Evans Is Giving Nebraska Fans Real Reason To Believe
Nebraskas offensive front has a familiar name drawing national attention heading into 2026. Justin Evans, the fifth-year senior center, has been named a second-team All-American by The Athletic, another sign that his rise has gone well beyond Lincoln. A steady presence in the middle, Evans has started 31 games for the Cornhuskers and has built a reputation as one of the better interior linemen in the country.
The appeal is easy to see for Nebraska fans. Evans started all 13 games in 2025 and was not responsible for any sacks allowed by the offensive line, a strong marker for a player whose job is often measured by what does not go wrong. With his status as a top interior prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft already established, Evans gives Nebraska both a proven anchor now and a clear pro-level storyline to watch as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]